celebrity-trading-cards

The Rising Market of Celebrity Trading Cards

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Celebrity trading cards have been around for decades, dating back to the 1950s. However, many collectors are unaware of their value, especially in PSA-graded examples.

High-grade celebrity cards, particularly rookie cards or first-year appearance cards, are among the most sought-after in the hobby. With celebrities constantly in the spotlight, the value of these cards continues to climb.

If you want to venture out from the sports card world, here are a few celebrity trading cards to consider adding to your collection, spanning modern and vintage eras.


Taylor Swift – 2011 Topps American Pie Taylor Swift/Kanye West #196

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Taylor Swift is among the most successful and popular pop/country singers ever. Swift gained much more notoriety in the sports spotlight when she started dating Travis Kelce during the 2023-24 NFL season. She is often shown numerous times on TV while attending Chiefs games and should be one of the main storylines for the Super Bowl in 2025!

Swift first appeared on a trading card in the 2011 Topps American Pie set, sharing a card with Kanye West. The photo of West and Swift recalls a very unmemorable time in Swift’s career; West stormed the stage and interrupted her speech at the 2009 MTV VMA’s. Despite the controversy, collectors have shown strong interest in this Taylor Swift rookie card.

  • Recent Sales Data: A PSA 10 of this card has sold for $800-$1,100, with only 33 PSA 10s in existence.
  • Alternative Investment: PSA 9 copies have recently sold for $160, with 149 PSA 9s graded.
  • Sealed Boxes: Blaster boxes containing this card sell for $399, while hobby boxes go for $650.
  • Future Outlook: The hype on Taylor’s rookie card is real; I’d expect these to be a good long-term investment.

Donald Trump – 1989 Rotten To The Core #26

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Donald Trump, inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States in 2025, has long been a polarizing and influential figure. Since his inauguration, Trump cards, autographs, and memorabilia have skyrocketed in value.

The 36-card 1989 Rotten To The Core set focused on New York’s most prominent politicians and businessmen, including Rudy Giuliani, Ed Koch, and the one and only Donald Trump. Trump’s Rotten To The Core card is considered his first trading card and his ultimate rookie card.

The back of the Trump card highlights some of his more audacious claims and actions during the 1980s, including his assertion that he could serve as a U.S. arms negotiator with the Soviet Union, stating, “It would take an hour and a half to learn everything there is about missiles.”

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  • Recent Sales Data: A PSA 10 sold for nearly $1,800, marking a $500+ increase since late 2024.
  • Alternative Investment: PSA 8 and PSA 9 copies offer more affordable entry points.
  • Future Outlook: Given his continued media dominance, this card is expected to remain highly desirable.

Dave Portnoy – 2014 Topps Allen & Ginter

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Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, is well-known for his pizza reviews and outspoken social media presence. His first trading card appeared in the 2014 Topps Allen & Ginter set, with various versions available, including a base version, a relic patch, and an autograph framed card (shown above).

  • Recent Sales Data: A PSA 8 autographed version sold for $425 in December 2024.
  • Alternative Investment: Base cards sell for around $90, with just 210 PSA 10s in existence.
  • Market Outlook: Portnoy’s growing influence makes this a good long-term investment. Given the relative scarcity, I mainly think the autographed versions are the best bet.

Kim Kardashian – 2009 U.D. Spectrum Autographs #KI

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Kim Kardashian rose to prominence in 2007 as a star of the popular TV show Keeping Up with the Kardashians. She has become a major media personality and businesswoman, amassing over 358 million Instagram followers. In 2023, Kardashian expanded her brand by partnering with the NBA through her Skims clothing line.

Her official rookie card was issued in the 2009 Upper Deck Spectrum Autographs set. In addition to the base auto card, several rarer parallel autographs were featured, with most having a limited print run of 50 or less.

  • Recent Sales Data: A PSA 9 with a 10 Auto recently sold for $1,100.
  • Alternative Investment: Consider lower-grade or ungraded examples. Many are available on eBay.
  • Market Outlook: These cards remain highly scarce and should continue to trend higher, given Kardashian’s popularity.

Eminem – 2003 Mediumpres Super Stars #70

Eminem, widely considered one of the greatest rappers of all time, first appeared on a trading card in 2003. Eminem is the architect behind many iconic rap songs, arguably his most famous being “Lose Yourself.”

Eminem has several rookie cards, including nine sticker cards from the 2003 Mediumpres Super Stars set, issued in Serbia and accompanied by a sticker book. Eminem also has a rookie card in the 2003 Top Trumps Smash Hits set(shown below).

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  • Recent Listings: A PSA 6 copy recently sold for $360 on eBay, a good deal, in my opinion.
  • Alternative Investment: Look for ungraded or PSA 7 examples on eBay.
  • Market Outlook: Of Eminem’s eight rookie cards in the Mediumpres set, only 15 total cards have been graded by PSA, making this a scarce rookie card and an excellent investment. Eminem’s legacy ensures continued demand.

Marilyn Monroe – 1950-51 Langa Ramserien #517

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Marilyn Monroe is one of the most famous actresses and models ever. She is also famous for being married to Joe DiMaggio. Her legacy lives on today for being one of the most influential models of her era.

Marilyn made her trading card debut in the 1950-51 Langa Ramserien set when she had a contract with 20th Century Fox. She has two cards, #517, shown above, and the #688 card, shown below. The cards are smaller than a traditional trading card, measuring only 1 7/16″ x 1 3/4″. The cards had a minimal print run and are pretty scarce.

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  • Recent Sales Data: A PSA 5 sold for $333 in January 2025, but higher-graded copies are worth a lot more.
  • Alternative Investment: A PSA 8 is listed at $16K on eBay, but other lower-grade or ungraded copies are more affordable.
  • Investment Potential: Investing in Monroe’s rookie card is a wise investment in any PSA-graded example, in my opinion.

Elvis Presley – 1950 Dutch Gum “D” Set #D127

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Elvis Presley, “The King of Rock and Roll,” has one of his earliest trading card appearances in the 1950 Dutch Gum “D” Set. The set has six Elvis cards, but the D127 card seems to be the most popular. Only seven copies have been graded by PSA.

  • Recent Sales: A PSA 5 copy sold for only $56 back in 2021, but some ridiculous prices are listed on eBay, so be careful overpaying for this card.
  • Alternative Investment: 1956 Topps Elvis cards are more affordable and part of the PSA registry.
  • Future Value: Elvis memorabilia remains in strong demand, and his graded vintage rookie PSA cards are very tough to find, making these a solid and affordable investment.

Beyoncé – 2003 Top Trumps Smash Hits Popstars 2

Beyoncé is one of the most famous female singers in the world and is married to the iconic rapper Jay-Z. Beyonce began her career with Destiny’s Child before embarking on a highly successful solo career, becoming one of the most influential female artists. Beyonce had her first trading card in the 2003 Top Trumps Smash Hits set. Notably, only six PSA 10 (GEM-MT) copies exist.

  • Recent Sales Data: PSA 10 copies have sold for around $120 recently.
  • Alternative Investment: Look for ungraded or PSA 9 examples. Also, look for Beyonce’s 2007 2007 S.I. Swimsuit cards, of which high-grade examples are scarce.
  • Market Outlook: Beyoncé’s global fame ensures substantial long-term value.

Sylvester Stallone – 1979 Topps Rocky II, Meet ‘Rocky’ #1

Sylvester Stallone’s legendary role in Rocky was commemorated in the 1979 Topps Rocky II set. Stallone’s biggest success as an actor was the Rocky films, one of the most successful movie franchises ever.

In 1979, Topps created an entire set commemorating Rocky II, which had a lot to do with the success of Rocky I. The 99-card set featured many cards of Stallone, but card #1 is the most sought-after, featuring a close-up image of Stallone portraying the Rocky character dressed in street clothes.

Only 350 copies of card #1 have been graded by PSA.

  • Recent Sales Data: PSA 9 copies average around $500, while PSA 8 graded copies sell for less than $100.
  • Alternative Investment: Raw, ungraded copies are widely available on eBay, many for $20 or less.
  • Market Outlook: Rocky remains a cultural phenomenon. High-grade copies of this card should do well over time.

Robert De Niro – 2022 Pop Century Metal Autographs

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Robert De Niro is a famous actor who has starred in many iconic movies, which include The Godfather Part II, Goodfellas, Meet the Parents, A Bronx Tale, Casino, Taxi Driver & more. De Niro finally received a trading card in 2022 with Leaf’s Pop Century Metal Autographs. These autographs all feature low print runs of 40 or less. There are like 20 variations, and I lost track of the scarcity of each, but these are super cool cards.

  • Recent Sales Data: A Silver Wave #20 serial-numbered auto sold recently for $405.
  • Alternative Investment: Look for other low-numbered autographs.
  • Market Outlook: As one of the greatest actors of all time, De Niro also isn’t getting any younger, so these autographed cards remain a great investment.

Final Thoughts

Celebrity trading cards are becoming more popular in the hobby, with vintage and modern cards gaining momentum. Whether you’re looking for Taylor Swift’s first card, a rare Marilyn Monroe vintage piece, or a trending Dave Portnoy card, these collectibles offer strong long-term potential.

Keep an eye on PSA-graded examples and watch for market trends; don’t overlook sealed boxes that might contain some of these gems!


Note: Sales data and population reports are sourced from PSA, Card Ladder, and PSA Registry.

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